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The EMPAF Partnership is an independent organisation set up in June 2007. It was established by a small group of experienced individuals who, alongside their work running participatory arts organisations, have committed their time to delivering a three-year development programme of training, promotional and networking opportunities as well as acting as a steering group for the Forum.

Vince is a co-director and founder member of Soft Touch Arts. The company specialises in issue based arts projects with disadvantaged young people. Over the past 20 years Soft Touch have developed innovative and exciting ways of delivering arts project that meet the aims and objectives of a wide variety of partner organisations. These include the youth justice system, education, health promotion and many other community development agencies. Vince’s main area of work is visual arts’ but he is also responsible for developing and delivering projects in the wide variety of art forms that Soft Touch use.

JULIE BATTEN
Julie is Director of People Express. Julie has lived in the East Midlands for most of her life. She is trained in Drama and Dance and she set up a small theatre company called Cloak and Dagger that toured around various venues in the East Midlands. She has also been part time lecturer and freelance dance and drama practitioner. In 1993 she was employed as a part-time Co-ordinator for People Express progressing to the full time post of Director of People Express in 1997. She passionately believes that the Arts can be a life enhancing experience that should be available to everyone.

TINA GLOVER MBE
In addition to her work as an EMPAF Partnership Director, Tina is currently researching new written work having spent many years as CEO of Junction Arts a rural 'national flagship' participatory arts and regeneration organisation. Tina trained as an actress and drama teacher and started her career in community arts in the 70’s with Theatre Workshop in Edinburgh as a member of their street theatre team and later as assistant director of the company. She worked with Coventry T.I.E and at South Hill Park Arts Centre as Performer in Residence and Head of Community Arts before establishing and directing participatory arts projects in Northampton, Derby and The Medway Towns. Prior to joining Junction Arts in 1993 she worked for five years as a freelance arts consultant, researcher, trainer and strategic planner with local authorities, regional arts boards and arts organisations in England and Scotland. Her numerous committee posts include serving as a member of the D.C.M.S Policy Action Team on Social Exclusion, and as a Board member of Arts Council East Midlands.

JanReynoldsis a freelance Cultural Animateur and Partner in EMPAF Partnership. Jan left her job as Participation Manager at QUAD Derby, formally Q Arts, in April 2010 to concentrate on community practice. QUAD is a dynamic, regional organisation for contemporary visual arts and media. Jan has over 30 years experience of working in participatory arts and previously has lead on training for community/participatory artists for Q Arts. Freelance roles included South Asian Arts coordinator for East Staffordshire Borough Council and many diverse projects with Fusion Arts and Hush Puppets, including the Amber Valley Millium Banners. She has a personal interest and commitment to advocacy and professional development for the sector

Kevin is the C.E.O. of Charnwood Arts, a community arts, education and media charity based in Leicestershire in the East Midlands. Kevin's background is in photography, literature, media and visual arts and he first became involved in community arts in the mid-late 1970's through arts led community development work in Portsmouth. After contributing to the development of projects or organisations in Brighton, Oxford, Loughborough and Leicester and freelance work around the East Midlands. Kevin joined Charnwood Arts as co-ordinator in 1991. The organisation is now, along with others in the East Midlands, considered a national flagship for participatory arts practice in England. Kevin is also a founder member and director of Mailout, the national magazine for participatory arts in the UK and a regional board member of ENYAN. His experience spans over 1,000 projects and programmes across all art forms including project work in Europe and India.